Chapter Seventy-Six: Imprisonment

Chapter Seventy-Five: Imprisonment

When he finally saw the face of the newcomer clearly, Bai Zeshou’s heart stirred. He had seen this man before—on the day Mr. Li and An Guoming met, this man had been in the shop across from the Proud Pavilion. There was no need to ask; this man was with the Security Squad. What puzzled Bai Zeshou was why he would appear here, and alongside Ye Mao, no less.

“Hello, Leader Ye. My name is Shi Zhichao, Deputy Captain of the Security Squad.” Shi Zhichao introduced himself to Bai Zeshou.

“Captain Shi, hello. I’m just not quite sure what’s going on here.” As Bai Zeshou spoke, suspicion flickered in his eyes.

“Leader Bai, your interrogation of the Red Party was commendable. However, the man before you is involved in matters of secrecy and planning, and you’ve happened to stumble upon them.” Shi Zhichao glanced at An Guoming and spoke calmly.

“Secrecy?” Bai Zeshou feigned surprise, then smiled, “So?”

“So, I now inform you—you are under arrest.” With those words, Shi Zhichao gestured, and three Security Squad members rushed in from outside the interrogation room, seizing Bai Zeshou and holding him fast.

“I’m under arrest? Captain Shi, surely you’re mistaken—what regulation have I violated?” Bai Zeshou struggled against their grasp and cried out in protest.

“Haha, Bai Zeshou, right? I told you before—you’d regret punishing me, and now you’re facing retribution!” Shi Zhichao and Ye Mao remained silent, but An Guoming, now recovering his breath, coughed and jeered with unrestrained glee.

An Guoming’s words dripped with schadenfreude and the exhilaration of surviving disaster.

Bai Zeshou ignored the traitor, An Guoming, and instead fixed his gaze on Shi Zhichao, awaiting a reasonable explanation.

“Leader Bai, my apologies—my words were poorly chosen. To ensure the smooth execution of the plan, you are being placed in solitary confinement. I trust you understand.” Shi Zhichao offered a brief explanation, making no further comment on Bai Zeshou’s resistance.

“Solitary confinement?” Bai Zeshou frowned. “If Captain Shi’s so-called plan is never completed, does that mean I’ll be confined indefinitely?”

“You’re not wrong. Take Leader Bai away.” Without further response, Shi Zhichao ordered his men to escort Bai Zeshou out.

As he walked down the corridor, staring into the pitch-black night sky, Bai Zeshou furrowed his brows tightly. He did not fear solitary confinement; it mattered little to him. But he had just learned of An Guoming’s betrayal—this information must reach Mr. Li as soon as possible.

Otherwise, once the Secret Bureau’s mysterious plan is put into action, it will surely spell trouble for the underground organization in Shanning. It was a pity—he had been only a step away from extracting the plan from An Guoming’s mouth.

Still, now that An Guoming’s treachery was discovered, Mr. Li and his associates would be on their guard. Bai Zeshou’s task was to send the message out as quickly as possible. His only hope lay in Ah Hai appearing on time tomorrow. According to their arrangement, Bai Zeshou left the Secret Bureau every noon for a brief period, and Ah Hai would wait for him at the designated spot. If all went well, he could pass on the information then.

The following day.

In the quiet cell, Bai Zeshou racked his brains for a way to transmit the intelligence. He had not slept all night, and still, no solution presented itself.

During this time, Bai Zeshou had deliberately hammered on the cell door, hoping to provoke a response. At first, the guards replied once or twice, but eventually, they ignored him completely.

Locked away, Bai Zeshou seemed forgotten, isolated in a world apart. The walls surrounded him, save for a small window that allowed sunlight to filter in.

Following the sunlight, Bai Zeshou gazed at the azure sky outside, and his yearning for freedom burned more fiercely than ever.

His mind raced, and soon he devised a dangerous plan. Time was pressing; he could not afford hesitation.

Tearing at his shirt, Bai Zeshou ripped off a corner and bit his finger, quickly scrawling a message on the fabric. When he finished, he hid the cloth deep within his shirt.

His eyes then shifted to the door, where a lunch box sat—a breakfast the guards had delivered earlier, though Bai Zeshou had lacked appetite.

Now, however, he wasted no time and ate quickly. As he finished, he drew two small vials from his shirt.

One held antidote, the other poison—both acquired in the interrogation room, originally intended for An Guoming. But Ye Mao’s arrival had interrupted those plans.

When confined, Shi Zhichao had merely relieved Bai Zeshou of his pistol, neglecting to search him, thus allowing the vials to remain hidden.

Now, with solitary confinement imposed, Bai Zeshou prepared to use them himself. He could not predict what might happen when two substances with such differing properties were mixed, but it was the only method he could devise.

Feigning death.

That’s right—he would pretend to die. Only by feigning death could Bai Zeshou hope to escape the cell and transmit his intelligence.

He tossed the empty vials out the window, took a deep breath, and forced down the poisoned meal. Instantly, the world spun around him, yet Bai Zeshou willed himself not to lose consciousness.

Bang! Bang!

He hammered at the door, shouting for help, then collapsed heavily to the floor.

At first, the guards outside ignored him, but the crash forced them to open the door in alarm. They found Bai Zeshou pale and gasping, sprawled on the ground.

“What happened?” The guard quickly helped him up.

Alas, Bai Zeshou was so weak he could not speak, holding on only by sheer force of will, hoping to leave the cell quickly.

One guard called for assistance, while another settled Bai Zeshou in a corner.

Soon, Shi Zhichao appeared, and seeing Bai Zeshou near death, he ordered, “Quickly, take him to the hospital, and find out what’s happened here!”

“Yes, sir.”

The car carrying Bai Zeshou soon departed the Secret Bureau. His thoughts grew hazy, but deep inside, one voice persisted—he must get the intelligence out.